ALPE Winter 2017/2018 EN by Seiser Alm

Winter 2017/18

ALPE Alpe di Siusi Magazine

CASTELROTTO · SIUSI ALLO SCILIAR · FIÈ ALLO SCILIAR · ALPE DI SIUSI · TIRES AL CATINACCIO

Alpe di Siusi Snowpark Sports and lifestyle with fun potential

Take your courage in both hands Peter Fill, professional skier from Castelrotto

Cabbage and turnips Growing vegetables at 1,200 m

South Tyrol seeks dolce vita skiers. South Tyrol seeks you.

Discover South Tyrol – the Alps’ best-kept secret. You’ll find 1,000 km of perfect pistes in this stunning winter wonderland, where the sun shines 300 days a year. And when you’re finished skiing for the day, bask in the midst of the Dolomites while you sample some of the area’s sensational food and drink. www.suedtirol.info/dolcevita

Photo: SAM/Manuel Knottensteger

Editorial & Contents

Dear guests! Wintertime and Christmas magic, culture and culinary delights: skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, paragliding over the Dolomites and ice-skating at the Lake Laghetto di Fiè, huts charm and alpine wellness – Alpe di Siusi is the place of unlimited incantation. Whatever you decide to do, you will forget the everyday life in any case for the duration of your holiday. Perhaps some of the following articles may stimulate you to try something out of the ordinary that will really excite you. Taking centre-stage, this issue is the ever-affable Peter Fill from Castelrotto, who talks to us about his career as a professional skier, the sensations at the start line and his life as a father. His ski career first began in the skiing area of the Alpe di Siusi, where countless top cross-country skiers and biathletes come to train at high altitude. Hard training and a great deal of ambition are also prerequisites in slopestyle, an extreme sport, and one

whose athletes at the Alpe di Siusi Snowpark never forget to have fun. Sauerkraut, a South Tyrol staple, is the best way to stock up on energy after an adventure-packed winter’s day on the slopes of the Alpe di Siusi. From the savoury side dish to a Christmas treat for the sweet-toothed: the irresistible scent of Christmas leads us one and all, old and young, to the Zimtblattln (cinnamon biscuits). We continue our idyllic way with a typical day in the life of the S. Osvaldo elementary school, one of the last traditional single-class schools in the region. The marked awareness of tradition in the holiday region can be seen in all its beauty in the Castelrotto Tracht, the traditional dress which has remained practically unchanged over the centuries. Home ties are also close to the heart of TV presenter Birgit Nössing, who talks to us about the ups and downs of her job and reveals her favourite spots in the

holiday region of the Alpe di Siusi. The ALPE magazine wishes to be your daily guide through your Alpe di Siusi holidays. Apart from important information regarding public services and interesting events, it gives much advice regarding the best restaurants, inns and clubs as well as many attractive shopping possibilities in the villages of the plateau and its surrounding areas. This magazine also contains the highlights in our events calendar. Should you decide to participate, your holiday album will be full of unforgettable happy moments. We wish you a marvellous and unforgettable holiday with enjoyable and relaxing moments. Eduard Tröbinger Scherlin President for Alpe di Siusi Marketing and the Tourist Offices of Castelrotto, Siusi allo Sciliar, Fiè allo Sciliar, Alpe di Siusi and Tires al Catinaccio

Page 4

Fun for kids on the Alpe di Siusi Page 6

Soaring into the evening sun: Alpe di Siusi Snowpark Page 12

Ski star Peter Fill: Take your courage in both hands Page 18

Interview with the sports physician Kai Schenk Page 24

Presenter Birgit Nössing Page 30

Christoph Gasser speaks about the traditional clothing in Castelrotto Page 34

The single-class school in Sant’Osvaldo Page 38

Growing vegetables at 1,200 m Page 42

Christmas biscuits: Zimtblattln Page 45

Winter highlights 2017/18 Page 48

Summer preview 2018 Page 50

Around & about

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4 ALPE | Winter

Child-friendly, adventurous and magical ... … … that’s the Alpe di Siusi! From far and wide, you can hear children’s laughter as they rampage around the largest mountain plateau in Europe. Full of joy and high spirits, they slide happily down the slopes on skies, snowboards and sledges, or try out daring tricks at the Alpe di Siusi Snowpark. The snow-blanketed winter countryside with the snow-capped Dolomites on the horizon is the perfect place to build a snowman or to have a snowball fight. A special highlight for young skiers is guaranteed on the Witches’ Ski Tour with magical sagas and all manner of fun and action on the Alpe di Siusi in winter.

Text: Denise Frötscher Photo: Helmuth Rier

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Soaring into the evening sun Acrobatics on snow: it may look like child’s play, but it’s actually the culmination of years of constant training. Freestyling is both a sport and a lifestyle – and masses of fun to boot.

Y Text: Sabine Funk Photo: Helmuth Rier

6 ALPE | Winter

You can see them from afar as you make your way uphill and down on the Alpe di Siusi cable car: the conspicuous carved waves on a strangely modelled, undulating landscape, clearly not of natural origin. They belong to a very special attraction on the wintry high plateau: the Alpe di Siusi Snowpark. Inaugurated in 2001, the terrain park at the Laurin lift has already received numerous awards. In 2017 it has been declared best terrain park in Italy for the fourth time, and it is one of the top 10 in Europe. In March 2018 two

Slopestyle World Cups will be held here, attracting the best freestylers in the world. Thanks to the many park shapers, who keep it groomed to perfection, the Alpe di Siusi will be the official training venue for the Italian freestyle ski and snowboard teams.

We met up with Filippo Kratter, trainer of the snowboard team, who ended his own professional career in 2004 and has accompanied the Italian team since 2014, during the “Sunset

Shoot”. It’s almost April, and the low-lying spring sun bathes the snow park in golden light. The season is drawing to a close and a few professionals and their friends have got together in the park to make the most of the magical lighting and the snow-capped Sciliar in the background - the perfect backdrop for a photo session. Two shapers, tanned by the winter sun and wearing brightly coloured mirrored sunglasses, smooth the contours to their best advantage. The motor sleds are at the ready, the group of young men –

almost all of them bearded - seem to be perfectly equipped. No aerodynamic racing suits here; colourful, printed T-shirts, plaid shirts and wide ski pants dominate the picture. Jumps, tricks and acrobatic manoeuvres are practised to perfection over and over again, with immediate checks to see if somebody has caught the moment on camera. Further downhill at the bar, a beer or a “Monte” always finds a willing contender. Is this relaxed hedonism, hallmark of the sport,

Winter | ALPE 7

The Italian freestylers, including Loris Framarin (second from left), will be polishing their tricks on the Alpe di Siusi once again in winter 2017/18.

> 12 – 17 March 2018

FIS World Cup Slopestyle Snowboard & Freeski

connected with the exhibitionist aspect of trendy extreme sports? “This is a very interesting question,” says Filippo Kratter, “and is one that is not easily explained. You see, I think freestyle is more of a fun thing compared to more classic sports. But “fun” as in “we are having more fun” not in like “our sport is not that serious” kind of way. Our season is 9 months long and during the

d’Aosta, and the young sportsman decided on his sport early in life. “This is what the average freestyler looks like. But things are different when you choose an athlete’s life, you don’t smoke, you eat healthy food and integrate your diet. I don’t believe we are as hard on ourselves as a cross country team; we still go out and party after a competition or when our training program is less intense. The best

In March, the world’s best freestylers will be taking to their boards and skis in a gravity-defying display of choreography. The two Slopestyle World Cups will be taking place at the Alpe di Siusi Snow Park. Slopestyle, first introduced at Sochi 2014, is the most recent extreme-discipline on the Olympic scene, and sees athletes competing on a course which features a variety of jumps and obstacles. Six judges rate tricks on creativity, difficulty and execution or style, while jumps are evaluated on height, range and landing.

PROGRAM Mon, 12. march 2018 Training Tue, 13. march 2018 Training Wed, 14. march 2018 Qualification Thu, 15. march 2018 Qualification Fri, 16. march 2018 Final run Sam, 17. march 2018 Final run www.seiseralm.it/worldcup

Filippo Kratter has been training the Italian national team ever since his professional career ended.

summer break the guys do a lot of physical training as well. So I would say we have a year-round effort, nothing less then what the other more “serious” sports are dealing with. The big difference is we never forget why we actually started to do Freestyle and that is because it is a lot of fun.

The Sunset Shoot is a kind of end-of-year party after a long season. It’s time to let your hair down a bit. A lot of the skiers and boarders this evening are friends of the team, and they’re all celebrating their shared passion with the young pros. Some pros do get somewhat irritated with the cliché of freestylers as being too chilled for their own good. Loris Framarin comes from the Val

8 ALPE | Winter

part of freestyle is expressing yourself doing the tricks you love the most with your personal style put into them, and this is the image of freedom we want to give to people who see our sport from the outside.” Last year he entered the Europe Cup, and earned himself a couple of podiums. His ambitions are great: his current goal is to add a couple of tricks to his repertoire that will enable him to get some World Cup points. This discipline, which became an Olympic sport in 2014, is classed as extreme sport - and not without good reason. Behind the trendy Anglicisms and cryptic jargon of kickers, jumps und rails, grabs, grinds, flips und spins, backside 1440 triple cork and 1080 »

The freestylersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; tricks call for a lot of practice and perfect body mastery.

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double, lie death-defying acrobatics and breathtaking physical mastery - and they make it all look so easy. The Alpe di Siusi Snowpark boasts obstacles for all levels of difficulty, but can enthusiastic amateurs, in all seriousness, tackle them? Filippo Kratter has no doubt: “Well, to me Freestyle is not dangerous at all if you are smart about it. Knowing your limits and proceeding step by step is key. Having someone more experienced than yourself to give you the basics is also really important. For having a great time with Freestyle you don’t need to be jumping 20 meters or sliding down a 20 steps handrail. A small rotation on little jump on the side of the slope is already gonna make you feel like a professional. Start small and build your way up: that way you will get no injury, and the fun is never gonna stop,” he says with certainty. “I guess it’s just something you get addicted to,” explains Loris Framarin. “Maybe without even wanting it, you try jumping a few times and then you keep on pushing yourself to jump bigger and learn new tricks. Well, they sure are dangerous sports. The key to becoming a good freestyler is pushing yourself to learn new tricks but following the right speed of progression without moving too fast.”

Perfectly groomed every day, the Alpe di Siusi Snowpark is a magnet for pros and amateurs alike.

10 ALPE | Winter

The Alpe di Siusi Snowpark will be a second home for the team once more in 2017/2018. Loris can’t wait, it would seem: “The Alpe di Siusi has been a great home for me the past two seasons and I’m looking forward to the upcoming one. The park is perfectly shaped every day, the jumps are big and easy to ride and the JIB Park is super fun! The Alpe di Siusi is an amazing place to visit and live in, with a stunning view of the Sciliar and all the surrounding mountains in the distance.” Filippo is impressed with the views too. In the coming season, alongside training for the upcoming Europe and World Cup season, another goal lies on the horizon: the Olympic Games in Korea. Qualifications will end in January, and until then, the team will be training intensively. A visit to the Snowpark is well worth it for visitors and for aspiring acrobats of the snow - and not only when it’s hosting the World Cup. «

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Manuela and Peter have been through thick and thin together ever since their youth.

Take your courage in both hands “It’s great to have the slopes to yourself.” Castelrotto’s world-class skier Peter Fill talks about courage and contentment and about the emotions he feels at the start line.

Y Young Leon is all over his dad, home at long last and finally able to make up for lost time with his son, time that was in short supply during the racing season. He’s also keeping a watchful eye on Noah, two years younger, as he plays in the garden while their mum, Manuela, is in the kitchen getting dinner ready at their home in S. Valentino. It’s one of those special moments when Peter Fill feels that life is the way he always wanted it to be. Even as a child, he had a clear ambition before his eyes: “I wanted a family and a home.” That was Peter’s dream, and has always been the top priority for the Castelrotto man. The skier’s greatest successes have been, so to speak, a welcome though hard-won bonus.

On the day that Leon turned two, on 23 January

Text: Elisabeth Augustin Photo: Helmuth Rier

12 ALPE | Winter

2016, Peter Fill won the legendary Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm. Even though Peter had been one of the front-runners on the scene for years, the victory came as a surprise even to himself. The images of the victory remain imprinted in people’s memories; Peter has an ability to let his infectious joy run free and touch the public like perhaps no other skier. Alongside his teammate

Dominik Paris from the Val d’Ultimo and Christof Innerhofer from the Val Pusteria, the Castelrotto racer is also well-known for his TV interviews in broad South Tyrolean dialect. “I speak in my own native language,” says Peter, “the one that comes from the heart.” And the TV stations and their viewers appreciate it. “South Tyrol always comes across well to people, as the image of our holiday region is generally so positive,” he says. The South Tyrol winter sportsmen, downto-earth ambassadors for the local area, never fail to inspire their public with both their feats and their land. At the end of the 2015/2016 ski season, Fill became the first racer of the Italian ski team to win the Downhill World Cup. In peak form once again, the Castelrotto athlete managed to leave Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud behind in the World Cup final in Aspen the following season, securing the downhill crystal globe for the second time in a row after a nail-biting race to the finish line. Dominik Paris won the World Cup 2017 race in Aspen, Peter Fill came second, and both rejoiced in their success together. “It was a wonderful moment,” »

Winter | ALPE 13

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recalls Peter. “You battle against each other every race, and then you celebrate together.”

Peter Fill – tough guy on the slopes, loving father at home.

Photo: Pentaphoto/Alessandro Trovati

Although he always leaves a blaze of emotion in his trail when he reaches the finish line, Peter is not so easily fired up by nature. “That could be either a good or a bad thing,” he says. “Often I’m too good-natured and, possibly, helpful.”

However, when it comes to skiing, he follows his own path with grit and a great deal of discipline. Except for one month of group training with his teammates from the Italian downhill and Super-G teams in summer (“It encourages competitive spirit.”), Peter prepares for the races alone with his trainer. The top athlete manages nicely without a mental coach. “You have to, as with so much »

Peter Fill was born on 12 November 1982 in Bressanone and grew up in Castelrotto. He lives in S. Valentino/Castelrotto with his wife Manuela Pitscheider, whom he married in 2015. They have two sons, Leon (3 years old) and Noah (1 year old). The skier played football for many

years and enjoys golfing in his free time. Fill is often an honorary guest at the Juventus stadium in Turin, home of his favourite football team. The ski racer has chalked up 20 podiums, 3 World Cup race victories and 2 World Cham-

pionship medals (in 2009 silver in Super G and in 2011 bronze in the Super Combined). In the 2015/2016 and 2016/17 seasons, he won the Downhill World Cup. His great role models are Marc Girardelli and Lasse Kjus. Peter Fill, who speaks German, Italian

and English, is a member of the Carabinieri sports group and Denise Karbon’s cousin (former world-class skier from Castelrotto who has recently retired from the sport).

Winter | ALPE 15

in life, work through a lot of things on your own,” he says. “You learn to handle defeat and to rise again with the victories. Success can come from one day to the next, and so can failure.” In sport, it’s always a case of extremes. Peter has always believed in himself and his family, father Luis first and foremost, have always supported him. “Manuela, my wife has been by my side since I was 19 years old, gives me strength. She often comes to the races, too,” the athlete reveals. His mother Luzia can’t bear to watch the races, either by the side of the slopes or on TV. And given that the speed averages over 100km/h in downhill skiing, it’s no surprise. Luzia is still shaken up from Peter’s accident in 2013, when the 85-kilo lad had a serious accident during the steep downhill on the Streif in Kitzbühel, hitting the safety border

As winner of the downhill World Cup, Peter Fill from Castelrotto claimed the coveted crystal globe in 2016 and 2017.

16 ALPE | Winter

scenario, a bad dose) of excitement also plays its part. “You have to have it, in every race, otherwise you can’t concentrate. You have to learn to cope with stress,” says the skiing champ. So how does it feel, when you’re waiting at the starting line? “I always feel fortunate and happy to be able to do it,” says Peter Fill. “Just imagine - you’re standing up there and you know that you’ve got the whole slope to yourself and the chance to show everybody what you’re capable of. It’s an enormous privilege. When you’re racing you have to be extremely focused, you think in terms of metre to metre and have to concentrate your entire being on yourself. It’s only when you get to the end that you notice the spectators.”

at high-speed and ending up in a backflip crash. Peter’s guardian angel was protecting him once again, however, and apart from a few bruises he got off unscathed.

How much courage does it take to ski down the slope at such high speed? “Yes, it does look like it takes a lot of courage,” affirms Peter, “but I’ve been doing it my whole life. On certain slopes you have to take your courage in both hands. But as long as you know what you want to do, and you have a goal in front of you, courage comes more easily. If you’re not feeling on top form, it’s harder.” Peter’s courage seems to have taken wing with the birth of his two sons. “Actually, I didn’t want to have children while I was racing,” he says. “I was worried that the sense of responsibility would slow me down. When it happened, the reverse was true,” the young father explains. Although he has always been fast, since he got married, he has increased his speed on the flat as well. “My family situation has made me happier and, ultimately, more successful,” says Peter. “But all it takes is one knock and you’re out the window.” The question of how long Peter will continue to race at World Cup level remains open, but it’s a question that seems to trouble the media more than the skier himself. “I’m 35 and I’m on top form,” he emphasises. “I haven’t thought about stepping down. If you start playing around with that kind of thinking, you won’t be fully committed anymore.”

“When you’re racing, it’s 50% head and 50% athletic training,” explains the skier. And both parts have to be in balance. “But when you’re up there it’s the head that makes the difference, by far. All athletes are highly-trained. Luck comes into it, too: starting number, health, weather, luck in choosing the right skis, in not making any slip-ups. You can’t leave everything down to luck, though,” says Peter. A good dose, (or, in the worst case

Alongside a number of other agreeable World Cup races, Peter Fill has another great goal before him: The Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea. Olympic Gold would be worth at least as much as a crystal globe and would be the crowning glory of an outstanding career. “I was the best downhill racer for two years and I would deserve a medal,” says the Castelrotto athlete, forgetting his modesty for once in a way. «

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Affordably and conveniently to the winter wonderland

Benefit card for toboganists, hikers and snow shoe hikers, cross-country skiers. Combi Card 3 in 7*

39.00 Euro

Nordic Pass 3 in 7*

48.00 Euro

In the course of 7 successive days (after first use)

> 3 times to the Alpe di Siusi and back, with the Aerial Cableway or the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Routes 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11)

> on 3 days unrestricted use of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway or the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10), on the same 3 days unrestricted use of using the CrossCountry Ski Courses Alpe di Siusi / Val Gardena and the Almbus (Bus Route 11) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5 and 15)

Combi Card 7*

Nordic Pass 7*

52.00 Euro

68.00 Euro

Valid for 7 successive days (after first use)

> unrestricted use of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway or the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5 and 15) around the Alpe di Siusi and the Almbus (Bus Routes 11)

> unrestricted use of the Cross-Country Ski Courses Alpe di Siusi / Val Gardena, of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway, the Alpe di Siusi Express (Bus Route 10) and the Almbus (Bus Route 11) > unrestricted use of the Shuttle Bus Service (Bus Routes 1, 2, 3, 3A, 5 and 15)

Combi Card 14*

Nordic Pass 14*

76.00 Euro

104.00 Euro

Valid for 14 successive days (after first use)

Funivia Siusi - Alpe di Siusi SpA 39040 Siusi allo Sciliar · via Sciliar, 39 Phone +39 0471 704 270 · Fax +39 0471 704 269 www.seiseralmbahn.it · info@seiseralmbahn.it

The Combi Card and the Nordic Pass are not transferable and are available at all cash desks of the Alpe di Siusi Aerial Cableway, at the tourist offices of Fiè allo Sciliar and Siusi, at the Alpin Sports Company in Castelrotto and at your accommodation. Children (born after 25.11.2009) and persons on wheelchairs ride free of charge. Juniors (born after 25.11.2001) pay only half fare. *The “Holiday area Alpe di Siusi Live Card”, which is not available for purchase and is issued free of charge to the guests by the accommodation, includes a price reduction for the Combi Card and the Nordic Pass.

Jessie Diggins from the USA, Nr. 6 in the overall World Cup 2016/17, during interval training on the Alpe di Siusi.

18 ALPE | Winter

Nowadays, professional sport is unimaginable without altitude training.

High-Altitude Training: The Myths and the Facts Numerous top-level athletes train at high altitude on the Alpe di Siusi, Europe’s largest mountain plateau. Sports physician Kai Schenk explains the physiological principles and limitations of this method.

S Summer and winter alike, hikers and cross-country skiers on the Alpe di Siusi will, out of the blue, find themselves surrounded by dynamic groups of people in brightly-coloured running wear, only to be outstripped at speeds verging on the surreal. There’s no need to start doubting yourself: in all likelihood, they’ll be world-championship athletes on the international cross-country scene. It seems that the training programme for leading crosscountry and biathlon teams is inconceivable without a high-altitude training programme of several weeks. Some top athletes train in hypoxic chambers, or

even go as far as to simulate heights of up to 2,800 m within their own four walls – methods which, in some countries, cross over the fine line into doping territory. On the other hand, those who want to use legal means to improve their endurance after a training session at heights of 1,800 to 2,500 m, head to, for example, the Alpe di Siusi. The Norwegian and Swedish crosscountry team make their way here several times a year and the US men’s team also comes here to recover from the exertions of the Tour de Ski and prepare for their next challenge on the sun kissed trails. ALPE spoke to

sports physician Dr. Kai Schenk from the Dolomiti Sportclinic about the vast field of myths and scientific facts.

ALPE: Is high-altitude training of benefit? Are its effects a medically-documented fact, or a myth? Dr. Kai Schenk: In the world of sports, there are many myths and in training methodology, there’s always something new, or a model that’s been further developed, just as in sports nutrition there’s always some new miracle nutrient and countless »

Interview: Sabine Funk Photo: Helmuth Rier

Winter | ALPE 19

The usual suspects: The world-championship athletes of the international cross-country scene make the most of the optimal training conditions and view of the Dolomites during the winter season.

20 ALPE | Winter

treatments that are verging on the grey area of legality. There are not many scientific studies available that attest to their efficacy. Altitude training at midrange heights, that is to say between 1,800 and 2,500 m above sea level, is one of the most commonly studied fields on the improvement of physical performance in endurance sports, and has been researched in detail many times. With good reason however, the results of

and the nature of their sport, the concept of the training camp and, finally, the measurement parameters that are being studied, a change in which should be a marker of improvement of physical performance. All these factors influence results and make a comparison between studies all but impossible. One aspect, however, remains undisputed: the length of stay and training at mid-altitude constitutes a particular, tangible and

the peak, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll notice that your breathing becomes more rapid and your heartbeat increases. Although the pace remains the same, the effort to achieve it is comparatively greater and becomes increasingly more difficult.

studies are anything but consistent, and are often contradictory. The length of the stay, the altitude, the intensity of training, the characteristics of the trial participant in terms of pre-acclimatisation, performance level

measurable stimulation, which has an effect on various parts of the body, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic and nervous systems. If you head up into the mountains from the valleys and climb slowly to

high, live high & train low principles are followed or vice versa. The duration of the stay, the ability of the athlete to adapt and regenerate and the desired effect determine the concept of the altitude training. Âť

What exactly happens in an altitude training camp? Depending on the altitude for the training session and the regeneration phases, the live & train

Winter | ALPE 21

time at a high altitude certain things are considerably more difficult to begin with, e.g. generating the level you are accustomed to at home: Initially, your peak level is limited. After the acclimatisation stage of altitude training is completed, performance improves. What does acclimatisation consist of and what happens in the body? We have to make a distinction here: in extended stays and altitude training, we speak of the live high & train low concept, which improves oxygen transport capacity through the creation of more red blood cells. The variant, live low & train high, on the other hand, aims to improve metabolism and performance economy in the muscles. Figuratively speaking, the first variant promises improved engine performance through higher fuel consumption, while the second promises improved engine performance through optimisation of fuel consumption.

The leading athletes of many top cross-country nations come to the Alpe di Siusi for tough altitude training in the summer months, too.

What are the principles behind the desired effects of altitude training? The air at mid-altitude is thinner, which means that air pressure decreases the higher you go, and, correspondingly, our oxygen intake. At mid-altitude heights, things we may not even notice in a resting state, but which are nevertheless measurable, are extremely evident when the body is under exertion. When spending

22 ALPE | Winter

At what height, and for what length of stay and training session is altitude training most effective? How long do the effects last? An altitude of between 1,800 and 2,500 m above sea level seems to guarantee optimal stimulus in training without affecting physical recovery during rest phases and at night. Stays at over 2,500 m can, depending on the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s susceptibility, lead to sleep disturbances, headaches and a number of other forms of altitude sickness. There is no single recommendation regarding the duration of altitude training. While testimonials of experienced athletes document a per-

ceptible effect after just a week, measurable changes which persist after a return to lower altitudes, these cannot be clearly ascertained after several weeks. Is altitude training suitable only for endurance athletes or also ambitious leisuretime athletes? We have to make one thing very clear. In principle, altitude training is possible during a stay in the mountains or through altitude simulation using technical equipment, that is to say, hypoxic chambers or hypobaric chambers. In Italy, the latter is a clear infraction of endurance sports legislation, which interprets as technical doping since the exposure to altitude increases the red blood-cell mass in the circulation system. Could you give us a general outline of the risks one should be aware of? The first prerequisite for mid-altitude training is good physical fitness. At high altitude, disease of the respiratory organs, the cardiovascular system or metabolic problems could suffer serious complications if the body is subjected to pressure. Generally, I would advise against a DIY altitude training programme, and consult with your doctor in order to avoid unpleasant incidents or failure to achieve your desired effect. Entirely on a personal level, I would heartily recommend that all active people combine a holiday in the mountains with a tailored training session in the countryside to get the most out of the excellent resources of our lands. A deluxe training camp with a guarantee improvement in physical wellbeing and, ideally, also in performance. ÂŤ

Foto: SAM/Manfred Kostner

DieThe faszinierende fascinatingBergwelt der mountain Dolomiten.scenery of the Dolomites.

The myth of the Dolomites In South Tyrolean extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner’s words, they are “the most beautiful mountains in the world“. The incomparable beauty of the Dolomites is widely renowned and for many they are synonymous with excellence in winter holidays. The mountains of the Dolomites can be thought of as a fossilised coral reef arching up into the sky in spectacular fashion. Thanks to their monumental beauty as well as their geological and geomorphologic significance, the so-called Pale Mountains were awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2009. Divided into nine areas and forming part of the Sciliar-Catinaccio Natural Park, the

Euringer peaks, stands out as one of the signature landmarks of South Tyrol. The Catinaccio massif, with its numerous peaks, is also known far beyond the country’s borders. The most striking part of the massif is the Catinaccio D’Antermoia peak, which stands at a height of 3,002 metres. The natural park also includes the mountain forests around Siusi, Fiè and Tires, and the Ciamin Valley. «

Dolomites are considered one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in the world. Sciliar-Catinaccio Nature Park: South Tyrol’s oldest natural reserve, a 7,291-hectare park, is situated in the western Dolomites and was founded in 1974. The Sciliar is an impressive mountain range whose emblematic outline, that includes the Santner and

Bruneck Brunico

Südtirol Brixen Bressanone

Meran Merano

Lienz Toblach Dobbiaco

St. Vigil S. Vigilio

5 St. Ulrich

Kastelruth Ortisei Castelrotto Seis am Schlern Seiser Alm Siusi allo Sciliar Alpe di Siusi Völs am Schlern

Dolomites World Heritage UNESCO 1

Pelmo, Croda da Lago

2 Marmolada 3 Pale San Martino, San Lucano Dolomiti Bellunesi, Vette Feltrine 4 Friulian and d’Oltre Piave Dolomites

Auronzo Corvara

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Fiè allo Sciliar

Bozen Bolzano

Tiers/Tires

Canazei

Alleghe

Pieve di Cadore

Zoldo

Cavalese

Agordo

Longarone

Cimolais

Pordenone

Madonna di Campiglio Fiera di Primiero

9 Trento

Belluno

Udine

Belluno Feltre

Trentino

Ampezzo

Pordenone

5 Northern Dolomites 6 Puez-Odle 7 Sciliar Catinaccio, Latemar 8 Bletterbach 9 Brenta Dolomites

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Birgit Nössing has acquired renown as a sports presenter, but her love for the mountains goes beyond her professional life.

“ You have to like the stage ...” When Eurosport Germany reports on the Olympic winter games in Pyeongchang in February 2018, presenter Birgit Nössing will be delivering the latest sports news to an audience of some millions of people. In a difficult business, the presenter has worked her way upwards to her dream job with skill and well-chosen words.

E Even as a child in San Costantino, Fiè allo Sciliar, Birgit Nössing would sit in front of the TV for hours on end, never missing a major sporting event. But she didn’t stop there: Birgit Nössing was a gifted ski racer herself. “I come from a family of sports fanatics,” says the journalist. Her parents, especially her father Hans, played no small part in ensuring that Birgit and her four-year-old sister Silvia started skiing and racing at a young age. “It went without saying, and there was also a great deal of ambition behind it,” she says. “There’s not much point in just skiing for skiing’s sake. You also have to put yourself to the test. That was our credo at home.”

Text: Elisabeth Augustin Photo: Helmuth Rier

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This is how Birgit learned to deal with competition early on in life. She remembers being “extremely excited and also totally emotional” during the ski races. In hindsight, she couldn’t but realise that she had also been under a lot of pressure. “I learned to deal with excitement and emotions, though. In individual sports, you are on your own, you have to work things through on your own and, when

you’re being judged, to be pin-point accurate. Ultimately, this has proven to be extremely helpful in life.” A cruciate ligament rupture at the age of 16 brought Birgit’s skiing career to an abrupt halt, and after her recovery, she soon realised that she had missed the boat. “The others were better and more talented,” she says in retrospect. “I soon developed other interests and discovered there were other things that interested and fascinated me.” After completing her high-school diploma, Birgit Nössing decided to “head out into the world” from the peaceful mountain village of Fiè allo Sciliar, initially to study in Munich. After an internship at the South Tyrolean daily newspaper “Dolomiten” and the high-circulation “Welt am Sonntag” in Berlin (“I realised that it was difficult, but that, at the end of the day, people are the same the world over.”), she began her career in 2006 as a television journalist at the news station N24 in Berlin, where, among other achievements, she reported on the 2008 presidential election in the United States from Washington DC and the 2010 Olympic Win- »

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Sporty and good-humoured, South Tyrol’s regional champion 1997 in the Alpe di Siusi ski races is a people-friendly kind of person, and always impeccably prepared in front of the Eurosport cameras.

ter Games in Vancouver. The people-friendly reporter’s first appearance as a presenter was in August 2010 at ProSieben Newstime. By 2017, she was reporting the Sky Sport News HD and later switched to Eurosport as a presenter, much to the disappointment of her considerable Sky fan base. For the young Birgit in the Stube parlour of Fiè towards the end of the 1980s, standing in front of a TV camera would have been nothing short of inconceivable. “There were a few stations where it seemed to me that only very few, select people found a job. For me as a South Tyrolean, there was the language problem. It is not easy to ‘iron out’ the dialect into a report in standard German.” But once the TV journalist made it to the microphone, she soon managed to switch between dialect and standard speech. “Flying off the podium during a live broadcast is worse than interspersing your report with dialect,” she laughs. And a malfunctioning teleprompter is a regular occurrence. “Technical breakdowns can’t be avoided, unfortunately, and a breakdown is always a possibility. You can always turn it into a laugh.” Birgit’s excitement has long since given way to routine: “As long as you have a routine, you’ll be fine.” Nevertheless, one has to constantly develop further. Interview technology is constantly changing, as is the advancement of digitalization and media processing. As a journalist, editor and presenter rolled into one, Birgit Nössing prepares all her interviews herself. The fact that she was herself a top athlete gives her an added passion for the job. “Perhaps I can empathise better with an athlete, but I have to admit that it’s just not possible, as athletes are often in an extreme emotional state after a race or game,” she says. “You try to ask a relatively normal question and they practically snap your nose off. They’re difficult moments. “

Curiosity is part and parcel of the job. “Curiosity is the most important thing in life and, at the same time, a tried and tested remedy for fear,” says Birgit. If the journalist has a difficult and critical interview partner, she tells herself to engage on an equal footing. “You want to know why something is the way it is.” And it’s a technique that generally works. In addition, the TV journalist also draws on her vast knowledge in her favourite themes - skiing and winter sports, tennis and football. Her task

is to separate the exciting from the mundane, the important from the trivial. “Numbers and names are not always the most interesting things,” says Birgit. “I want to tell people stories.” Birgit is one of the most positive and humorous reporters on the scene. When asked what particularly irritates her, a succinct answer follows: “When the coffee isn’t good.” And then she mentions that she does not like it when everything is left to a last minute dash, or worse still, if information that was requested in good time arrives moments before you’re on air. “On the other hand it’s pure adrenaline, which I do actually like,” she adds. During live broadcasts, the whole team have to give one hundred percent. The world of outer appearance is one which the presenter takes in her stride: “You prepare extensively for an interview, and after you finish all they talk about is your clothes or your hairstyle.” That’s the way it is. But rather than getting angry about it, the stylish Birgit is flattered by the compliments. The camera also likes a healthy dose of exhibitionism. “You have to like the stage: Look at me, I’m here now. You have to enjoy doing this and to look like you’re enjoying it, too. You can tell immediately if somebody’s not feeling comfortable.” Birgit knows how to turn her femininity to her advantage. “We women reporters have the great advantage over our male counterparts in that it is easier for us to draw our male interviewees out,” she says. The result is often more interviews which are more interesting. “They’re women’s weapons.” At 35, she feels that she is at the best age for her job. “You have the energy, you’ve fallen flat on your face before and you’re a bit more careful. It was more difficult to find the right way of doing things when I was 20.” Birgit got married on 23 September 2017. “Yes, love at first sight still exists” wrote “Bunte”, the German society magazine. It was at her workplace that beautiful TV presenter Birgit Nössing and her ten years older Sky colleague Timo Petersen fell in love. The dream wedding was celebrated at Castle Prösels in the bride’s homeland. 85 wedding guests from Berlin and Hamburg, London and Madrid had made their way to South Tyrol to join in the celebrations. Sports journalist Timo Petersen from Hamburg is in a similar career to »

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Photo: Dennis Heck

In September 2017, Birgit Nössing and Timo Petersen said “I do” in Fiè. Friends and family attended the reception at Castel Prösels.

Birgit. “We talk a lot about our work. It makes it easier to understand each other, and to combine our professional challenges with our private,” says the sports journalist. Is her husband also her best critic? “Oh, Timo knows that I don’t like criticism one bit,” Birgit smiles. “But then again, who does? I look at myself with an an extremely critical eye, and I am sometimes too hard on myself. But Timo knows how to tell me what he thinks in a rational manner.” A presenter who is in the public eye and has to face the critical eye of a million people on a daily basis has to have a media coach. “It is not pleasant to analyse your own performance, because you make the same mistakes again and again. Sometimes you look too harsh, sometimes too friendly,” explains the chic South Tyrolean. “But it’s the only way to improve.” Still, she does not want to agonise over it too much, so as not to end up insecure and tense. Birgit knows that her naturalness comes through on the screen, and does not want to thrust herself on the audience. “I can’t stand people who are overpowering and grating on television,” she says. “At the beginning of my career, my shyness was often a problem that I had to learn to control. My fairly reserved nature and certain modesty cer-

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tainly come from my family background, and are a part of the South Tyrolean mentality in general.” If it’s true that Leos often like to be in the limelight, she tries to do so in as agreeable a way as possible. Birgit is certain that the loudest voices are not the most popular ones in the television business. In any case, she prefers to forge friendships with the more posed of the profession. Increasingly often, the Eurosport-presenter is recognised on the street. Although she does make the odd red carpet appearance, Birgit Nössing’s privacy is extremely important to her. This is why she uses social media with restraint, and only posts the occasional, well-chosen message on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. “There are a lot of female colleagues who take it too far, and have run into trouble as a result,” says Birgit. “I think a lot about how far I want to go.” “Everything flows,” is Birgit’s motto. “Nothing stays the same. You have to change and reinvent yourself in your life. Even when you’re well-prepared for a situation, everything can go pear-shaped. It’s happened in the past,” explains the presenter, well-armed and aware that, in this industry, flexibility is fundamental. «

s ’ g n i s s ö Bir g i t N s e c a l p e t i r u o v a f 1 Spitzbühl at Alpe di Siusi - because I learnt to ski there 2 The Huber Lake at Fiè allo Sciliar - there’s nowhere more romantic 3 Castle Prösels - where I got married 4 San Costantino Church - because the view over the Sciliar is absolutely breathtaking

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Art historian Christoph Gasser from Siusi allo Sciliar is one of the leading authorities on the traditional costumes.

Traditional Clothing in Castelrotto In Castelrotto, a keen awareness of tradition has formed an equally strong community appreciation of the traditional costume of the area, known as the Tracht. Cultural historian Christoph Gasser is confident that the future of the Tracht is safe in the hands of the coming generations.

T The Heimatpflegeverein Schlern (Sciliar Cultural Heritage Association, tn.) has published a wealth of information on the Tracht, both the men’s and the women’s variants. Christoph Gasser, cultural historian, archivist and director of the Chiusa museum, is the author of a detailed two-volume reference work “Tracht in Kastelruth Ursprünge, Entwicklung und Vielfalt” (“The Tracht in Castelrotto – Origins, Evolution and Variety”), to date available only in German. Gasser, born and bred in Sciliar, where he lives to this day, is considered to be an outstanding expert on the subject. “As a long-standing member of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Lebendige Tracht (South Tyrol Local Heritage Society Association for the Preservation of Traditional Clothing, tn.), Christoph Gasser has brought extensive knowledge of the field to this book,” says Chris-

tine Rabanser Rier, chair of the South Tyrol Heritage Society, emphasising the expertise of the author. ALPE talked to the cultural historian about the origins, the evolution and the future of the Castelrotto Tracht. ALPE: Dr. Gasser, your two volumes are richly illustrated and describe the various peculiarities of the Castelrotto Tracht in detail. To what end? Christoph Gasser: The Sciliar Cultural Heritage Association commissioned me to compile a comprehensive documentation on the local Tracht up to the modern day. Until now, traditional passing down of knowledge from one generation to the next has sufficed to keep the Tracht alive as part of everyday life. The aim of this book is to safeguard the

future of the Castelrotto Tracht into the future. How is the Castelrotto Tracht different from other similar traditional costumes? The peculiarity of the Castelrotto Tracht is that it has remained very much a living part of the local heritage, and that it has such a range of variety and meanings. Its historic evolution is unique, as unlike in other areas where forerunners have been altered or adapted, the Castelrotto Tracht has, except for a few rare exceptions, remained unchanged and is still worn on »

Interview: Rosa Maria Erlacher Photo: Helmuth Rier

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With their keen awareness of tradition, the people of Castelrotto keep old customs alive. At a ‘”Castelrotto Farmer’s Wedding” (picture below), the traditional costumes are a sight to behold.

special occasions such as processions and religious festivals. How is the Tracht different from other rural clothing? The Tracht is a garment rooted in tradition, with regional features. All Trachten are the result of longterm evolution. The roots of the Castelrotto Tracht date back to the 17th century, when certain

A two-volume reference work documenting the origins and evolution of the Castelrotto Tracht.

garments signified membership of a brotherhood or a Schützen rifle guild. In the 18th century, due to increasing prosperity, the features of certain clothing styles became ever more mainstream. The Tracht became an everyday or festival costume of the rural people, not only the nobility. At what point in history did the Castelrotto Tracht first make an appearance? Documents tell us that, in 1822, on the occasion of a visit to Bolzano by the Emperor of Austria and the Tsar of Russia, the Castelrotto Standesschützen und Musikbande (The rifle guild and music bands, tn.) and a Castelrotto wedding

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procession of 13 people received the guests. Shortly afterwards, in 1824, Archduke Franz Karl was “introduced” to a Castelrotto wedding procession, also in Bolzano. Are there also Castelrotto Trachten of more modern origins? From the 1830s onwards, the “Langbäurischen” loden jackets

for men and the Tücheltrachten apron Trachten in a variety of styles for women appeared as an adjunct to the historical Tracht. Previously, farming people had had to make it with the materials they manufactured themselves, which included hessian, linen and loden. In later days the rural population were also able to afford more expensive fabrics, such as silk and brocade, which had previously been the exclusive preserve of the moneyed classes. The Castelrotto Tracht is also very much alive today… That is partly due to fact that the special dynamics and fondness for the Tracht in our region allow

for innovations and influences to emerge; the tracht is very much a “living” part of our cultural heritage. New Tracht features of the 19th century include, amongst others, the long bridegroom’s wedding cloak and the “Schmelmbn” hat adornment made from dried ears of feather grass. In the 20th century, a form of work-day Tracht for women was also created. There is an enormous variety of important stylistic elements in the Castelrotto Tracht. How did they come about? There are religious and secular events which require a fitting celebration. Processions, weddings, baptisms and first communions, funerals all call for appropriate clothing. In the evolution of the tracht, it was also important to show whether you were single or married, and what role you held in the festivities. The musical bands and the Schützen developed their own version of the Tracht. For everyday life, on the other hand, practical considerations favour plainer fabrics and more comfortable cuts. How do you see the future of the Castelrotto Tracht? It seems to me that the keen awareness of tradition in Castelrotto has generated such a strong communal appreciation of the Tracht that it will remain alive and well in the hands of future generations. In the near future, a Tracht museum will be established in Castelrotto, with a Tracht workshop where new Trachten will be made and old Trachten restored. The Castelrotto farmer women hold regular events on how to care for the Tracht and how to wear it correctly, and they are very well-attended. «

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Three pupils at the village school in S. Osvaldo spending their playtime outside in the fresh air.

Idyllic schooldays Time moves at a different pace at the village school in Sant’Osvaldo. Here, in one of the last remaining single-classroom schools in the region, all five classes are seated as one. The result is a harmonious combination of rustic idyll and progressive teaching methods.

I “Is this really a primary school?” I wonder, as I step into the well-kept little building across from the fire station. Colourful pictures decorate the windows and, like everywhere else here in Sant’Osvaldo, a small hamlet of Castelrotto, a peaceful hush pervades the air. The doors on the ground floor are wide open; in a large classroom, four children are absorbed in practicing their reading, unruffled by the announcement of my visit. In the small library, a girl with pigtails is sitting reading a book with ponies on the cover. Upstairs, two young boys are puzzling over their Italian exercises. Two older children are roleplaying a conversation. One girl is off sick, the young teacher tells me. And that’s it, here at the Sant’Osvaldo school: just ten pupils all in. This is one of the last single-classroom schools in South Tyrol, which were so commonplace up until the 1960s and which lay at the heart of the education system – and not only in the Alpine region.

Text: Sabine Funk Photo: Helmuth Rier

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This miniature form of school is today under threat: in comparison to “normal” schools, personnel costs are comparatively high, as is the teacher’s effort, as support and maths teacher Johanna Pattis tells us. In a single-classroom school, lesson materials and subject matter have to be planned

often for one or two pupils every day. For every ten pupils there’s one teacher, who covers every subject, except religion and Italian. The school is amply staffed at the moment, as two out of the ten pupils have Down’s syndrome. Observing the two happy girls with so much joy for life, one can see instantly that the calm, personal atmosphere »

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Today, single-class schools are a valuable part of the social infrastructure in rural areas.

of this small school is ideal for their integration and support. The school likewise benefits from the attendance of these two girls with the provision of an extra teacher and a support assistant. The village community of Sant’Osvaldo is united as one behind “their” primary school and the parents have appeared before the local Education Authority on many occasions to plead for its preservation. The school is an important aspect of the quality of life in this outlying area: for example, it’s not just the parents of the pupils who attend the Christmas party, practically the whole village comes along. Identification with the school is strong. Policy-makers also seem to recognise that the mini-school format is a treasure worth preserving. Creating infrastructure to ensure that residing in a rural area remains an attractive, liveable prospect is one of the primary aims of the South Tyrol regional government. And infrastructure does not just mean streets and tunnels, but also preserving institutions which are important to the community. Lessons at village schools have changed over the years. Teaching diligence and discipline to the polite young pupils at the Sant’Osvaldo school seems superfluous. Single-classroom schools have always had their own dynamics, with processes, which were effective long before teaching reforms were ever introduced. Young kids get their bearings from the older ones; learning processes are open and based on interaction. Sometimes Montessori methods are used, simply because they are so well-suited to cross-age group projects. This kind of school has both its advantages and disadvantages, says Johanna Pattis. When the children go to secondary school in Castelrotto after 5 years of primary school and are suddenly seated in a class with twenty other children, many of them are daunted. In social skills, however, the children from village schools are often more mature. Nowadays, with the media chock-ablock with horror stories from schools, the idyll of Sant’Osvaldo seems almost surreal. Their future is uncertain, but one could wish no more for their children than to get a start like this in their education and life. «

Tagusa School Museum In a decidedly melancholic, strangely touching atmosphere, one visits another village school – the former public school of the hamlet of Tagusa. The bright room, which resounded with the chatter of around 45 children in the immediate post-war years, is now a small school museum. The old-fashioned desks, abacuses and yellowed wall maps will live on in more than just the school-day memories of old pupils; everybody can take a trip down memory lane in this museum, a living bridge to the past. Paula Malfertheiner, who lives in the upper floor, was caretaker at the school until its closure in 1993; a living link to bygone days, she is happy to share her vivid memories and tales on the origins of the exhibits, and her joy at the school visits is plain to be seen. The school is open to visitors from Easter to All-Saints. You can easily get from Castelrotto to Tagusa in two hours along easily accessible, picturesque roads, and the excellent bus service makes the use of public transport highly recommendable.

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Cabbages take around four months to ripen.

Margit Untertrifaller in her vegetable garden at the foot of the Catinaccio.

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Cabbage and Turnips Growing vegetables at an altitude of 1,200 metres above sea level is a challenge. The season is short, and hot summer days are limited. The moment the temperatures start dropping to the zero mark, winter vegetables are harvested, and autumn is sauerkraut season.

I In mountainous regions, white cabbage is planted at the end of May and takes around 110 days to grow. “Above-ground crops should be planted during a waxing moon, and below-ground crops during a waning moon,” explains Margit, a farmer from Tires al Catinaccio, who farms in harmony with the moon-phases. The turnips that grow in her field alongside the cabbage crops are an heirloom variety which she preserves herself; she leaves a few plants to flower in autumn and when the pods release their seeds, she gathers them, dries them and uses them before 24 August the following year. Margit uses no chemical fertilisers whatsoever, and feeds her crops with liquid fertiliser that she makes from nettle and comfrey. To ensure that her turnips and cabbage are also attractive to look at, Margit covers the beets with an insect net weighted down at the edges, and protects her turnips from the high-altitude spring frost with a fleecy blanket.

Sauerkraut, turnip kraut, sauerkraut cooked in wine, red cabbage… although there are endless varieties, and equally as many methods of preparing them, the methods have remained practically unchanged over the centuries. Sauerkraut was a familiar sight to Greeks and Romans. It was also a great delicacy in Asian countries and among seafaring folks, not to mention an excellent source of vitamin C.

One traditional South Tyrolean dish, and a popular accompaniment to the Schlachtplatte meat platter served during the Törggelen season, is Sauerkraut made from white cabbage or sweetheart cabbage. The cabbage is chopped in half, cored, shredded finely and layered in an earthenware crock (in the past, wooden barrels were also used). Each layer is covered over with salt and cumin, stirred together, and pressed down firmly »

Text: Katja Sanin Photo: Helmuth Rier

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Left: A turnip with the kraut which is made from it; right, a cabbage, from which traditional sauerkraut is made.

so that the cells burst open and release their juices. This procedure is repeated layer by layer, taking care not to mix the individual layers together. At the end, the cabbage should be covered with a 3 to 5 centimetre layer of its own brine. It is then given a final pressing to pack it in as tightly as possible and weighted down with a stone plate

lactic acid bacteria. “If you don’t like the taste of the pure juice, or if it’s too acidic, you can mix it together with a little apple juice,” says Margit, sipping a glass of sauerkraut juice.

before the lid is closed. Earthenware crocks have a trough around the lid, into which hot water is poured to create an airtight seal. The lactic acid present in the cabbage triggers the pickling process, which lasts four to six weeks. The longer the pickling process, the more acidic the sauerkraut will be.

The only difference is that the turnip, after it has been thoroughly cleaned, is chopped in two stages: firstly, it is sliced and then chopped into small sticks. Both turnip kraut and sauerkraut are rich in vitamins A, B and C. When buying them, the most important thing is to ascertain that they are fresh and unpasteurised, and to cook them gently so that the vitamins are not lost. Cooked sauerkraut should be stewed for around thirty minutes with a little fat and stock. In addition to salt and pepper, bay leaves and juniper berries are also typically used to enhance the flavour. «

It’s not just the sauerkraut itself that has enormous health benefits but also its juice, which encourages digestion, detoxifies the body and is an important source of vitamin C, lactic acid and live

Pickled turnip, somewhat less known but more intense in flavour, is prepared in similar fashion.

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Christmas Biscuits The very smell of cinnamon and cloves conjures up an image of cold hands encircling a steaming glass of mulled wine, and of indulging in mouth-watering Christmas bakes in the warmth of good company. Christmas is a time of sweet pleasures, and the spices of the season not only lull us into an aromatic reverie but also provide a number of health benefits. Cinnamon and cloves aid the digestion, warm the body and cheer our spirits.

Zimtblattln (Cinnamon biscuits) Ingredients

Preparation

250 g sugar 250 g flour 200 g butter 1 egg 1 pinch powdered cloves 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix all ingredients to firm dough. Chill in the fridge for one hour, roll out the pastry and cut out shapes with a pastry cutter. Bake at 180Â°C for around 9 minutes. Remove from baking tray and leave to cool. Recipe provided by GĂźnther Schlemmer.

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photo: Helmuth Rier

sh Fre ts duc o r p r

ou from al loc rs e a f rm

“Local, unique, authentic ...” The new supermarket Coop in the heart of Castelrotto offers you a wide range of first quality products. In the specialities‘ corner you will find unique culinary delights from local farmers, from biological origin and from fair trade. At the selling desk there is the famous butcher Heinz of the renowned Butcher Shop Silbernagl offering you typical Speck from Castelrotto and Helga, the soul of the Bakery and Confectionery Shop Burgauner, who will contribute with the “Schüttelbrot”. Why don‘t you come around?

Burgauner BAKERY · CONFECTIONERY

MARKT

silbernagl butcher’s

Food - Butcher - Bakery - Confectionery - Hardware - Gardening - Agriculture articles Famiglia Cooperativa di Castelrotto · via Panider, 24 · phone 0471 706 330 · www.konsummarkt.com Opening hours: From Monday to Saturday from 7.30 to 12.30 a.m. and from 3.00 to 7.00 p.m.

Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier

Photo: SAM/Laurin Moser

Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier

Winter Highlights 2017/18

> 6 December 2017 – 8 April 2018

> December 2017

> 9 December 2017

> 20 January 2018

Skiing for bon vivants

Mountain Christmas in Castelrotto

Krampus parade in Castelrotto

Winter Berglertafel Mountaineers’ Banquet

When the fragrant scent of gingerbread, cinnamon and mulled wine waft through the air, you know it’s Advent time at the foot of the Sciliar. The Castelrotto Christmas market welcomes everybody to come and enjoy a sociable get-together over a glass of mulled wine and a touch of Christmas spirit. The inhabitants of Castelrotto will unveil the secrets of their Christmas traditions and allow others to participate in them. Beside the little Christmas market, local farmers’ wives will offer their cookies, Christmas logs, pastries, and other authentic goodies for sale. On 15 and 16 December, the well-known „Kastelruther Spatzen“ folks music group will present songs and tunes in keeping with the „Feast of Love“.

Who are the Krampus and what are they doing in Castelrotto? The Krampus is a mythical creature recognized in alpine countries. According to legend, the Krampus accompanies St Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children. On 9 December some Krampus’ teams from Italy, Germany and Austria will walk through the streets of Castelrotto, wearing hand-crafted masks and dresses and ringing bells.

In 2018, the legendary summer’s Berglertafel Mountaineers’ Banquet in Tires al Catinaccio will also be featuring on the winter events’ program. The day commences with a snowshoe test session for beginners and experts during a snowshoe walk through the untouched, rustic winter countryside: Participants will have the opportunity to explore the Dolomites while determining which snowshoes best suit their needs before stopping off for the “Flying Buffet” to exchange opinions over a bowl of warming soup or a mulled wine. Like its summer counterpart, the Berglertafel Flying Buffet will be serving classic dishes with a creative twist in a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, as participants will discover when the day draws to a close with a view over the famed Alpenglow of Catinaccio at sunset.

Skiing at its best is a guarantee with ski adventures on the Alpe di Siusi. Winter fans can alternate skiing on the sunny slopes of Europe’s largest mountain plateau with a break in a mountain hut to savour the outstanding regional cuisine. A variety of tasting sessions, special delicacies and gourmet events ensure that a skiing holiday will be an absolutely unforgettable experience and show visitors the tastiest, most dynamic side of the Alpe di Siusi.

> 9 December 2017

Children’s Winter Festival with Nix the Witch The 2017-18 winter season will be getting off to a sparkling start with the second Kids’ Winter Festival on the Alpe di Siusi with Nix the Witch. Nix is calling all kids to join in the party, and will be transforming them into witches and wizards for the occasion. The day is guaranteed to be fun: games, an arts and crafts corner, a treasure hunt, good music and masses of surprises to bring a shine to the eyes of every child. Nix the witch also has a whole lot of tricks to teach for safety on the snow.

44 ALPE | Winter

Dates 2 to 3 December 2017 8 to 10 December 2017 15 to 17 December 2017 22 to 24 December 2017 26 to 28 December 2017

HEALTH-CONSCIOUS SPA TREATMENT IN HARMONY WITH NATURE Our rural ancestors were acutely aware of just how potent mountain hay from the Dolomites can be. Rich in herbs and flowers, it gives off an incomparable aroma, recognizable only as a freshly mown meadow in full bloom. In combination with our knowledge the health benefits of natural mountain hay, based on three pillars: detox, relax and construct, come to fruition. The Original Völser Heubad® combines tradition and progress. Experience perspiring while immersed in hay as a whole body treatment, and discover the skin care line Trehs® Orignal Bergheu, with its one-of-akind mountain hay extract from the alkaline grasslands of Seiser Alm. Book your own hay bath by calling +39 0471 725020. Our bath department is open Mondays to Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to noon and from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Closed on Sundays. Hay baths, massages and cosmetics are also available to those not staying at the hotel.

INFO@HOTELHEUBAD.COM WWW.HOTELHEUBAD.COM

HOTEL HEUBAD · SPA · RESTAURANT 39050 HOTEL FIÈHEUBAD ALLO SCILIAR · SPA (BZ) · RESTAURANT · VIA SCILIAR 12 39050 FIÈ ALLO SCILIAR (BZ) · VIA SCILIAR 12 SOUTH TYROL - ITALY · TEL. + 39 0471 725 020

Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier

Photo: F-Tech

Photo: IDM/Helmuth Rier

Highlights Winter 2017/18

> 21 January 2018

> 31 January 2018

> 11 March 2018

> 18 – 25 March 2018

Traditional country wedding of Castelrotto

South Tyrol Moonlight Classic Alpe di Siusi

Dolovino on Snow on Alpe di Siusi

Swing on Snow Winter Music Festival

The Country Wedding in Castelrotto has already become a tradition. It’s the authentic reproduction of a historical farmer’s wedding like those celebrated since time immemorial at the foot of the Alpe di Siusi. The throngs of participants wear their traditional garments with great pride – one of the reasons why the event has developed into one of South Tyrol’s most spectacular pageants.

A sporting event illuminated by the glow of flickering torchlight, the chance to put your skills to the test at international level, and the spectacular winter backdrop of the Alpe di Siusi: In 2018, the Moonlight Classic will once again be offering numerous athletes and cross-country fans the chance to spend a sensational evening on the Alpe di Siusi by night. Participants can opt to take part in either the 30 km or the 15 km variant of the loop route. Both variants begin and end in Compatsch and are raced exclusively in classic diagonal style. The starting pistol for this cross-country spectacle will be fired at 8pm. At the start/finish area, spectators will already have gathered en-masse to enjoy the atmospheric display when the alphorn players and whip crackers take to the floor to set the scene for the evening. www.moonlightclassic.info

Dolovino on Snow invites you to celebrate the theme of “Top Alto Adige wines at the foot of the Dolomites” on a wine-tour across the Alpe di Siusi. South Tyrol is not just a paradise for skiers and hikers, but also an internationally renowned wine-growing area. Connoisseurs can sample outstanding wines from the local area in numerous bars and restaurants around the area, while the Alpine huts on the Alpe di Siusi will be serving culinary delights to round off the event to mouth-watering perfection.

Jazz in the mountain huts, soul on the slopes and traditional tunes in the restaurants in the evenings: Musicians from all over the Alpine region will be performing from morning to night in the Alpe di Siusi holiday area for the Swing on Snow festival. Bands and singers will be setting the tone on the slopes and getting old and young, winter sports visitors and music lovers alike, into the party mood. The modern interpretation of traditional folk music with jazz, soul and pop reflect the musical culture of the Alps; listeners can swerve in time to the beats and rhythms, and weave their way downhill to the sounds of the tuba, bass, dulcimer and accordion. Concerts will be played on the slopes of the Alpe di Siusi in the mornings, afternoons in the huts and evenings in the villages of Castelrotto, Siusi allo Sciliar, Fiè allo Sciliar and Tires al Catinaccio. www.swingonsnow.com

> 28 January 2018

Winter Golf Tournament on Alpe di Siusi Why does a green have to be… well, green? At the winter golf tournament, the greens give way to the white snows of the Alpe di Siusi, and golfers are treated to spectacular views as they ski or snowboard their way from one hole to the next. The 9 holes range from 61 to 150 m in length and are played with brightly-coloured golf balls, so much easier to spot against the snowy fairways. The tour starts in Compatsch, leads on to the Bullaccia, to the Laurin and Panorama lift and back towards the set-off point. Excellent catering and musical entertainment are provided along the golf course.

46 ALPE | Winter

> 12 – 17 March 2018

FIS World Cup Slopestyle Snowboard & Freeski In March, the world’s best freestylers will be taking to their boards and skis in a gravity-defying display of choreography. The two Slopestyle World Cups will be taking place at the Alpe di Siusi Snow Park. Slopestyle, first introduced at Sochi 2014, is the most recent extreme-discipline on the Olympic scene, and sees athletes competing on a course which features a variety of jumps and obstacles. Six judges rate tricks on creativity, difficulty and execution or style, while jumps are evaluated on height, range and landing.

PS: The photo in the background is our terrace in 1966 :)

Has time come to a standstill here? OR ARE WE JUST A STEP AHEAD?

ZALLINGER MOUNTAIN HOLIDAYS AND RESTAURANT

n i ng Reopeber 20 17 Decem

We’ve remodelled, BUT WE’RE STILL THE SAME, AND CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU! LUISA & MARKUS

zallinger.com

Traditional mountain hut cuisine and fabulous sun terrace with breathtaking views – Alpe di Siusi, 2,054 m.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

Florian lift Saltria

SLOPE NO. 34 or TRAIL NO. 9 (6 mins) Hotel Tirler – TRAIL NO. 9 (1 hr and 15 mins.)

Photo: SMIF/Fotolia

Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier

Photo: OvW-Ritt/Helmuth Rier

Summer preview 2018

> 30 April – 27 June 2018

> 25 to 27 May 2018

> July – September 2018

> July 2018

Alto Adige Balance around Alpe di Siusi

Oswald von Wolkenstein Riding Tournament

Summer Classics in Siusi allo Sciliar

Semper Music International Festival

Südtirol/Alto Adige Balance is an offer for all those who want to replenish their energy in the spring months. Selected, expert-guided experiences on the theme of health, balance, nutritious diet, optimal training techniques and equipment will ensure you have all the basics you need to get the fresh air and hiking and running season off to a good start:

3 days, 4 locations and 36 teams: In tribute to knight and minstrel Oswald von Wolkenstein, the three villages of Castelrotto, Siusi and Fiè allo Sciliar organise a historical riding tournament at its very finest. From 25 to 27 May 2018, visitors to the Oswald von Wolkenstein Riding Tournament can leap back in time to the 14th century and experience life in the Middle Ages, admire the masterly horsemanship and feel the hospitality in South Tyrol. No other riding tournament has the good fortune to be able to offer this kind of culture, tradition, history, sport and folklore all rolled into one single event. www.ovwritt.com

For lovers of classical music, Siusi offers an extraordinary series of concerts. Artists will perform the works of great composers. The “Summer Classics“ of Siusi represent a high level of musical talent and have long since become an integral component of our summer cultural program. Both locals and visitors will be enchanted.

The Semper Music International Festival provides a unique opportunity to experience concerts by wellknown and famous musicians in the Alpe di Siusi holiday area. On the festival program, besides the international competitions, master classes and workshops, there are about 35 afternoon and evening concerts with renowned music professors and young artists from North and South America, Asia and Europe participating. All concerts, master classes and workshops are open free of charge for guests and locals. Admission fees apply only for the star concerts. www.schlernmusicfestival.eu

• Orthopaedic foot analysis and the right equipment • Nature Response®: breathe and recharge your batteries • Morning daybreak walk & run with breakfast • The Five Tibetans®: balance and energy for the whole body • Wood-walk/run and the positive effects of the wood • Nature: the fitness studio for old and young • From plant to plate: a journey through the world of herbs www.seiseralm.it/balance

48 ALPE | Winter

> May – July 2018

Hikes for Flower Lovers Approximately 790 flowering plants and ferns of highly varied appearance and origin can be seen around Sciliar mountain over the course of the year. Typical Alpine flowers but also botanical rarities flourish on the alp mats, in meadows and wheelbarrows. The nature reserve authorities organize about 20 guided hikes every year in cooperation with the tourism associations of the nature reserve communities with experienced nature reserve hiking guide Riccardo Insam.

Photo: Helmuth Rier

Photo: SAM/Helmuth Rier

Photo: SAM/Armin Indio Mayr

> 1 July 2018

> 7 July 2018

> Summer 2018

> 1 – 31 October 2018

Alpe di Siusi Half Marathon

Catinaccio-Sciliar Sky Marathon

Open-air Gourmet Extravaganza

The Kuchlkastl - Culinary Festival in Fiè allo Sciliar

21 kilometres, 601 metres of elevation gain and 700 participants: These are the characteristic numbers of the Alpe di Siusi Half Marathon on 1 July 2018. Surrounded by the Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage, the Alpe di Siusi Half Marathon is a unique experience and sporting challenge for both professional and amateur athletes. The starter’s gun for the running event with start and finish in Compatsch is fired at 10.00 am. running.seiseralm.it

Right in the very heart of the unique UNESCO World Heritage Dolomites, an Alpine Mountain Marathon with a length of 45 km and around 3,000 m of elevation difference will be setting off from Tires al Catinaccio: the Catinaccio-Sciliar Sky Marathon. The challenging mountain race will begin in Tires, lead round the Catinaccio Massif, over the Sciliar, past the Monte Cavone Hut and back to Tires. The highest point of the Sky Marathon is the Principe Pass at 2,630 m. www.skymarathontiers.it

With three unusual open-air gourmet events on the cards, the Alpe di Siusi summer promises to be something of a culinary experience. First up is the Berglertafel (Mountaineers’ Banquet) in Tires al Catinaccio – legendary not only for its culinary finesse but also for its spectacular views over the Catinaccio mountain. The Mountaineers’ Banquet is traditionally held on the third Thursday in July. At the end of July, Castelrotto will be welcoming its guests to a culinary event steeped in history: the Krausen banquet, where the Monte Calvario hill will be providing the historical backdrop for the evening. The gourmet events draw to a close at the Tabbla Toò on the Alpe di Siusi, where an exceptional meal cooked in wood-fired ovens will be served accompanied by a 360° view of the Alpe di Siusi.

The Kuchlkastl Culinary Festival has been the culinary highlight of autumn in the Alpe di Siusi holiday area for over 40 years now. Gourmets and lovers of traditional cooking are in for a treat from October 1st to 31st, when the restaurants in Fiè allo Sciliar open their doors for the “Gastronomic October” festival. The chefs will be serving up traditional recipes with a modern flair. The theme: Old recipes reinterpreted and served with love. www.voelserkuchlkastl.com

> 12 – 14 October 2018

Kastelruther Spatzen Music Festival Celebrating, spending pleasant evenings together, experiencing the “Kastelruther Spatzen” live: The Spatzen-Festival in Castelrotto is a must for every fan. Surrounded by the unique scenery of the Dolomites the seven “Spatzen” enchant all friends of traditional music.

Winter | ALPE 49

Photo: Fabian Dalpiaz

Around & about

A new star in the photographic skies. The photo “Milkyway above Alpe di Siusi” shows the snow-blanketed landscape of the Alpe di Siusi and the night sky studded with twinkling stars. “I photograph moments that often pass by unnoticed” says 15-year old Fabian Dalpiaz from Castelrotto of his unique photo, which won him the third place in the BBC contest “Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2017” in London.

Photo: Rafael Krötz for “Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin”

Designer bathtubs are eyecatchers even when they’re completely removed from their context, as illustrated amply by SZ magazine in their photo reportage “Aus dem Vollen schöpfen” (Spoilt for choice, tn.), which shows bathtubs staged as troughs for horses, sheep, pigs and similar on a farmyard in the holiday region of the Alpe di Siusi. An unusual combination of designer bathtubs, extraordinary locations and animal stars!

Photo: Helmuth Rier

Designer bathtubs in a setting with a difference Even more fun on the slopes for expert skiers The sunny, perfectly groomed ski slopes of the Alpe di Siusi are a guarantee of endless fun for the whole family. From this coming winter season, the skiing region is one spectacular slope richer, and not one for the lily-livered. The new “Race” slope on the Bullaccia, with a hairraising drop of 304 metres, a length of 1,337 metres and a highest gradient of 58%, is categorised as a black slope and reserved for experts.

IMPRINT. ALPE: Reg. Court Bolzano / Bolzano, n. 9/2002 R.St. Published by: Alpe di Siusi Marketing, 39050 Fiè allo Sciliar, Via del Paese, 15, Tel. +39 0471 709 600, Fax +39 0471 704 199, info@alpedisiusi.info, www.seiseralm.it. Legally responsible for the editorial content: Elisabeth Augustin Editorial Team: Elisabeth Augustin, Rosa Maria Erlacher, Sabine Funk, Barbara Pichler Rier, Katja Sanin, Michaela Baur, Denise Frötscher, Romina Glira, Daniela Kremer; Translations: Studio Bonetti & Peroni. Advertising: Sabine Demetz, Christoph Trocker. Graphic: Komma Graphik. Printing: Litopat, Verona.

50 ALPE | Winter

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